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I love the creativity that Halloween brings out in me and others, and I always try to DIY my costumes by collecting things from friends and family, Goodwill, my own wardrobe with an assist from the craft store!

Unfortunately, Halloween has notoriously been known as the holiday where you can “dress like a slut and get away with it,” —that is, according to the movie Mean Girls.
So instead of going sexy, I vote going smarty this Halloween. Here are my top 5 Halloween costume ideas for 2014! What are you going to be? Leave your ideas in the comments!

1. Carmen Sandiego

Relive the 90s! The education game show series began airing on PBS in 1991 that had viewers and contestants becoming detectives to solve various mysteries and geography challenges leading up to the chance to capture Carmen and receive a trip! Also, who could forget that iconic theme song?

What you’ll need:

Red trench-styled coat

Red fedora hat

Yellow scarf

Black shirt and pants

Black boots

Additional Accessories: inflatable globe, a map, or binocularsCouplet? Have your mate go as Where’s Waldo, you both can we “lost” in love, HA!

2. Amelia Earhart

Take your costume to new heights by dressing up as this pioneer pilot.

What you’ll need:

Brown bomber or aviator jacket

Khaki pants or slacks with a trim-cut leg

Brown riding boots or combat boots

White scarf, bonus points for adding a hanger via tape or a trusty needle and thread to the inside and making it look like its “blowing in the wind.”

Goggles, ski goggles may do the trick if you have those laying in your coat closet

A helmet or a floppy-eared hat, if hats aren’t your thing, the goggles may be enough to get the idea across.
If you don’t feel DIYing this one, there’s an accessory kit!

AdditionalAccessories: You could potentially get a model airplane and carry with you, bonus points if you find a backpack like this one!Couplet? Have your mate go as an airplane! Weee!

3. Rosie the Riveter

A cultural icon with an empowering message, “We Can Do It!” And you can do with this easy-to-put-together costume.

What you’ll need:

Red with white polka dotted scarf or fabric, enough to go around your head and tie in the front

Jeans, bonus points if they’re high-waisted—how retro!

Blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, be sure to tuck in the shirt or tie it in a knot at the waist.

Red lipstick

Hair up!

Black combat boots

A flexed bicep for the iconic pose.

Additional Accessories: Create a yellow “backdrop” with the “We Can Do It” speech bubble on cardboard, attach elastic loops, wear as a backpack. This may be a bit difficult for a night on the town, but may work well at a house party…with large doorways.Couplet? Have your mate go as a member of the Army, both are appropriate for the WWII timeframe.

4. Lady Liberty

Because Amurica and Freedom and because in several states this November it’s election season!

What you’ll need:

A blue-green bed sheet or a white one dyed a blue-green

Rope or chording from the craft store painted/dyed the same color as sheet

Burger King crown, halfed and painted to match

Flip flops or gold sandals, feel free to spray paint these as well to match

Torch: flash light, add matching colored foam around the base and up and attach orange and yellow tissue paper to the lens of the flashlight and WHA-LA! or you could just buy one here.

Additional Accessories: Purchase silver or blue-green body paint for your face and arms (though a long sleeve shirt may be easier and more comfortable when dyed to match) Also if face paint irritates your skin, like it does mine, opt for silver eye shadow and lip stick to finish the look.Couplet? Have your mate go as Uncle Sam.

5. Rubiks Cube

Who doesn’t love a creative costume brainteaser?

What you’ll need:

Three boxes from UPS or FedEx that are wide enough to fit around your torso

Different colored construction paper or paint (don’t forget the brushes!) to create the different colored blocks

Black duct tape to tape it all down or define the blocks of color

Sharp Scissors or a X-acto to cut round holes in the boxes, big enough for your body

To wear under: anything! I recommend a black tank top or long sleeve shirt and leggings or shorts.

Additional Accessories: Wear color sneakers to complete the look, Converses work great! Oh! and bonus points if you make the rubiks cube solvable!Couplet? Have your mate go as a nerd that is trying to solve you!

A version of the finished product from SunshineSouthern.wordpress.com. Click here to visit her blog and get more step by step instructions!

Now, I want to hear from you! What smarty costumes have you come up with in the past? What are you going to be this year?

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, It’s Just Karlyn After All!

By day, a communications coordinator. By night, a dance teacher. In between? A twentysomething woman concerned about how the media & everyday life portrays females, and more importantly, how those portrayals affect young girls.